Before the Storm
by Beeblebabe
Summary: Nights are not always easy for Anko.


When she looked at herself from straight on, Anko thought that she almost couldn't see it at all. From behind, too, nearly unnoticeable. But then she'd turn to the side, and there it would be, impossible to miss. She put her hands across it, stretching her fingers to the limit but barely covering the surface, and laughed. She couldn't see her toes anymore, and her bellybutton had turned to poke outwards. But even if she couldn't see the swell of her stomach, she could still feel it within her, the always growing warmth. Her child. _His_ child.

She kept her hands against her stomach as she walked to the window and looked out across the horizon. The sunset sky was boiling, dark clouds swirling and popping with lightning within them. Anko smiled absently and wondered when he would be home. He always said missions wouldn't take long, but always - especially now, when the time was getting so close - it seemed like he was gone longer each time. She knew she could handle the birth by herself, but still, she wanted him with her.

She took six practiced steps from the front hall to the kitchen, stepping over the weighted mats that would trigger traps. A knock on a hinge let her open the cabinet to retrieve a glass, and she filled it from the tap in the sink without any other ceremony. The wind shook the trees outside and made the windowpanes moan as she drank her fill in six long gulps, then filled the glass again.

"Ah, it's going to rain," she said, and dropped the glass to shatter against the kitchen floor.

She didn't remember staggering to the bedroom, feet knowing where not to step, or shedding her clothing. But she was on the futon now, aching, heavy breasts a weight on her chest that made it hard to breathe, and legs spread wide as though to let out the pain that tore down through her body. It was time, already, so soon, and she could feel it moving within her, ready to come out. She was wrong; she couldn't do this by herself. Her lips curled into a circle to call out his name, as though that alone could summon him, but she couldn't find her voice.

Her body went cold, stopping the pain, and she could feel herself smiling as it started. Her baby, her child, leaving her at last. She could feel its body cool against the inside of her thigh, slick from birth; that made it easy for it to slither down further, and make room for the next to be born, and the one after that, and after that. The tears that came down Anko's cheeks were cold, too, as she watched her swollen belly shrink as they poured out easily now, no longer afraid.

It was over as soon as it started, and she was left with her smile frozen as she looked at her children, _his_ beautiful children, as they constricted around her legs, comforted by the warmth of the fresh blood staining the bedding. A few crawled up her body to curl around her breasts, tongues flickering over the cool skin of her heart.

She picked up the nearest and held its slick, narrow body against her cheek. She felt for the first time in her life as though her heart might burst from joy. If only he were here to see this, to meet them all. If only...

A cool hand fell against her shoulder, inviting one of her newborns to slither around the wrist. She didn't have to look to see who it was, didn't need to turn. She heard the dry intake of breath and waited to hear him speak her name.

Anko did not awake with a start, or covered in sweat. Instead she stood, took four practiced steps to the bathroom, bypassing the nighttime traps, and knelt in front of the toilet to retch until her eyes burned. When the fit of gagging had passed, long after the contents of her stomach had emptied out, she stood, only slightly wavering on her feet. This was all habit, years of practice, thoughtless... but she felt her stomach clench again when she reached for the glass at the sink to fill it with water. She grabbed the unmarked bottle beside the glass, and left the bathroom certain of what she'd find in the living room.

The boy was sleeping peacefully on the couch, blankets kicked off to just curl around his legs. She circled silently around him, viewing him from every angle, and found herself hissing out a breath. She could barely even see the mark on him now; it truly did seem no more than an odd-shaped lingering bruise. She crouched in front of him, until he could have felt her breath on his face, and just watched. 

He almost seemed his age now, like this; all the rage the swarmed around him in waking hours and sometimes even in dreams was calmed to a lull now. His lips were barely parted as he breathed evenly and calmly. It was a foolish mistake for a young ninja to make, sleeping so deeply, especially in the house of so dangerous a ninja. Anko smirked as she thought it, even though her mark began to ache. She could kill Sasuke before he took his next breath, and then, maybe he'd come back, and...

She closed her eyes, uncapped the bottle of pills, and chewed two before she dared look at him again. The taste was bitter and clung to the back of her throat, but she could already feel the easing effect of the sedatives within. She'd be able to get back to sleep, at least. She couldn't really envy Sasuke his uninterrupted sleep tonight, for she knew better than anyone the number of nights he'd woken screaming and fighting the urge to gag. The boy deserved a few easy nights without the help of sedation.

Her hand moved slowly, barely stirring the air, and came to rest against his hair. It was heavy and slick under her fingers, and made her think of... the thought slipped from her mind as heaviness started to steal through her body. At least he understood, more than anyone else ever would. Her fingers hovered over the mark, but didn't dare make contact, as nothing would wake him faster. The brush of her lips to his was more than enough of a risk. She stood, feet heavy but still able to remember where to step, and returned to bed.

She did not dream any more that night.


End file.
